Tag Archives: cabbage family of vegetables

The secret to bright green broccoli rabe, without a hint of bitterness, is pre-cooking it in boiling water and cooling for up to 1/2 hour in an ice-water bath.

Did you know that cruciferous vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli, are associated with a decreased risk of several types of cancers?

Why not start the NEW YEAR out on a healthy note by pledging to eat some of Mother Nature’s potent anti-cancer veggies on most days of the week?

Cruciferous or the cabbage family of vegetables is a true class of superfoods that have it all when it comes to vitamins (especially vitamin C), minerals, fiber and disease-fighting phytochemicals. Cruciferous vegetables are actually members of the Brassica family, widely cultivated with many genera and species.

The alternate name, Cruciferae, is Latin for “cross bearing,” named for the shape of their flowers—which resemble a cross!

What really makes the Brassica family of vegetables superbly medicinal are two sharp-tasting phytochemical compounds buried within them, called sulphoraphane and diindolylmethane. These plant chemicals have demonstrated the ability to activate enzymes in the body that act to detoxify carcinogens before they can do cellular damage.

Sulphoraphane has also been shown to cut off the circulation of nutrients to the tumor hence helping to treat existing cancer.

According to the American Institute of Cancer Research, cruciferous vegetables have been shown to stop the growth of cancer cells for tumors in the breast, uterine lining, cervix, lung, colon and liver.

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One of the best ways to get back in shape after having a baby is to breast-feed. The physiological process of breast-feeding requires that a woman's metabolic rate go into overtime as her body strives to produce milk to nurture her growing infant. This process requires an exorbitant amount of calories to sustain. If you combine breast-feeding with both a nutrient-dense, calorie-controlled diet (with enough calories to support lactation) and regular aerobic exercise (like taking the baby for long walks), you will surely be on the right track for getting back into shape and getting back your pre-pregnancy body.
If a woman decides not to breast-feed, she can still take a healthy approach to getting back into shape following the birth of her new baby. The extra fat that Mother Nature adds to a woman's body to support her pregnancy can be taken off following the same general principles for all types of healthy weight loss: eat a healthy, balanced, calorie-controlled diet combined with regular exercise, and aim for a weight loss of no more than 1 to 2 pounds per week. There are registered dietitians who specialize in pregnancy, and I would highly recommend you consult with one to get on the right path. Go to www.eatright.org to find a registered dietitian in your area.